The Spanish Meteorological Agency (AEMET) has issued a special advisory warning of the onset of a heat wave (the fourth this year) that will last from Wednesday, July 29, through Sunday, August 2. This will be a prolonged weather event that, according to the AEMET, will increase the fire danger level “to extreme values, making firefighting efforts more difficult.”
The situation could extend into next week and will affect areas of the Iberian Peninsula and the Canary Islands. On Wednesday, the 29th, temperatures will reach 39–41°C in the main river valleys of the southwestern quadrant, 37–39°C in parts of the northern plateau and La Mancha, and 40–42°C in the Ebro Valley and the northeastern lowlands. In Madrid, the heat wave is expected to bring highs of 38°C on Wednesday and Thursday and highs of 37°C from Friday through Sunday.
The AEMET warns of a significant danger due to high temperatures, particularly on Wednesday afternoon. This poses a special risk to vulnerable individuals—that is, the elderly or those with cardiovascular diseases—as well as to those participating in outdoor activities . Although slight changes are expected heading into the weekend, the warning level will not decrease significantly.
A decisive day before the start of the heat wave
The impending heat wave has added even greater urgency to efforts to extinguish the fires that continue to rage out of control in the provinces of Ávila, Toledo, and the Community of Madrid— fires that have already forced the evacuation or confinement of more than 90,000 people. Firefighting efforts have been complicated by the terrain, the spillover of fires from one area to another, and weather conditions.
In the coming days, high temperatures, lower humidity, and gusty winds (which will intensify on Wednesday, reaching between 30 and 40 km/h) will make it even more difficult for firefighters working to contain the flames. Therefore, Tuesday, July 28, will be a critical day for firefighting efforts before weather conditions worsen.
Speaking to TVE, Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska stated that the results of last night’s efforts were“reasonably positive”and that today we can be “a little more at ease.” Overnight efforts were concentrated on the Cofío River, the most critical area, where “the work has been positive,” according to the 7:00 a.m. update from 112 Comunidad de Madrid.
In this regard, authorities report a favorable development in the most concerning fire hotspots, such as the one north of the San Juan Reservoir in Madrid and those in Mijares and Casillas in Ávila. The Government Delegate for the Community of Madrid, Francisco Martín, stated on Telemadrid that overnight efforts succeeded in halting the fire’s advance toward Valdemaqueda.